P36
• tune 6.2003
Continued from Page P 33
was in ninth grade I told my friends that I want
ed to play at Carnegie Hall,” HaywixxJ says.
She didn’t have the support of her family,
though, who saw classical music as “white.” The
only support she had came from within herself.
“It was difficult for me to believe in myself as
classical pianist. I never felt entitled," HaywixxJ
explains. “Most of the time when 1 play, people
focus on my race over my talent.... Instead of
accepting people for who they are, society mea
sures people hy stereotypes and expects them to
fit in a nice little hox. I am a hlaclc gay female
who plays and composes classical music and lis
tens to country. I’ll never fit in a hox.” •
— MF
—TK
B a y H a ll
John Scussel Jr.
tions, eventually serving as controller for a
national distributor of professional salon prod
ucts. To gain credibility with clients, he sought
a cosmetology license and stxin traveled the
country teaching hair coloring.
isten up! Bay Hall has something to say.
T his 26-year-old Vancouver,
W ash., transplant is head of the Les
bian C om m unity Project’s D eaf Awareness
Program. W h eth e r she’s speaking or signing,
she’s working hard to create opportunities
for deaf and hearing queers to interact and
com m unicate.
T h e LCP hoard m em ber’s program offers
education, support and social events. “It
takes the whole com m unity working togeth-
PHOTO BY MEG DALY
a women’s union and lesbian alliance.
“I was able to make the decision to explore
transition once 1 started Icxisening up about the
whole idea of identity and the thought that you
have one identity that can’t change,” he says.
“It was an evolving understanding of myself
that went from being lesbian— which felt closer
and certainly was better for me than being a
straight person— to becoming a hutch dyke.”
By then, Lind had settled into a relationship
with his partner. He knew she’d he accepting of
his desire to pr<x:eed with transition, hut he also
realized the decision would affect her life, tcxi.
Their identity as a lesbian couple would change,
though Lind continues to consider himself queer.
Land began taking hormones even while
beginning a new position with the Information
and Technology Group at Oregon Health &
Sciences University. He came out to co-workers
a year later, having begun what was probably
the first visible on-the-job transition at OHSU.
TixJay, Land is senior manager of the computer
support team and considers his transition com
plete, having faced a difficult second coming-
out to his family last year.
In another change two months ago, the
couple moved from urban Hawthorne to 5 1/2
acres in niral Warren that Land says come with
peace, quiet and critters.
Scussel, 41, moved to Portland about a year
ago to date a guy h e’d met at a Radical Faerie
gathering. Although the relationship didn’t go
anywhere, neither did he.
Contentedly single, Scussel lives in Southwest
Portland and works full time as “hair god” for
Cuts and Chemistry, an independent salon in the
nearby Garden Home neighborhood. Every
fourth week, however, he packs his hag—and his
shears— to visit family and clients back in Tampa.
Between fawning with Faeries and flights to
Florida, Scussel enjoys naturism and country
western dancing (kudos to DJ Crystal, he says).
But on the horizon are two goals: running the
Portland M arathon this fall and hiking the
Grand Canyon from rim to rim next year.
—TK
J o h n S c u s s e l Jr.
Cris Land
C ris Land
ris Lind describes himself as a trans guy
ambassador, and he’s observed firsthand
how Portland queers have become
more understanding of their trans siblings.
“Gay folks and trans folks are very much
joined," the 39-year-old affirms. “G ender
identity protection and hate crimes legislation
help protect gay people because gay people are
also victims of that very same violence and
discrim ination."
Lind grew up mostly in Colorado and came
out as lesbian after high school hut found little
family support. He sampled college, worked at
a group home and hitchhiked to Oregon,
where he studied s<x:iology and women’s studies
at Portland State University and helped found
C
rom Gulf Coast hanker to West Coast
hair stylist, John Scussel Jr. has made a
journey in more than mere miles.
“As I’ve matured and migrated north and
west, I’ve gotten more and more away from the
standard culture of America,” says this Radical
Faerie known as FireWolf, a nickname reflect
ing his affinity for flame and the canine’s role
as teacher in native lore.
"It was like I’d found a home for myself," he
says of Faerie gatherings, “a commonality of
acceptance that doesn’t generally exist in gay
culture. Everyone has their own reason for
being there, hut for me it’s a celebration of the
male spirit in all its manifestations."
Raised in Florida, Scussel worked in hanking
while studying for a marketing degree at Univer
sity of South Florida. He came out as a gay man
during his college senior year, hut he’s never been
one for labels. “Sexuality is fluid," he explains.
Scussel explored lucrative accounting posi-
it's ME!
Bay Hall (right, with partner Boots Davis)
©
detours
A Travel Shoppe
"Let the Spirit o f
iMove <
y bu!"
Different Roads
•
New Views
(formerly Lloyd Travel)
Open 11am
to 5:30pm daily
located 7 miles SW of M cM innville
on H w y 18 at Bellevue
WE SUPPORT GAY PRIDE!
503/843-9797
fi reseyega I lery @on I i nemac .com
Let me he(p you
reach your
fu tt potentini!
breast forms, bras & more! trans friendly
cosmetic makeovers & consultation
visit our booth at the PRIDE FESTIVAL!
susan johnson owner/fitter
2041 ne burnside, gresham
503/491-5110 ~ www.shopitsme.com
Timothy ^Mather
psychic channel counselor
503-888-8451
~
Here's to a Great
Portland Pride 2003!
Call us for your next adventure.
Mexican Villas, South Pacific Paradise,
European Delights and More!
ASL
tra ru fa tor
a v a ila b le
art request
umnv.tgrrmtfur.com
p r e s e n t t h i s a d f o r S 2 0 off y o u r 1 s t r e a d i n g
503 674-5145
-
1475 NE Village St. • Fairview, OR ___